Piper PA-23 accident near Cresson, Texas, July 11, 1991
On July 11, 1991 at about 3:33 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N289RL, was destroyed in an accident near Cresson, Texas (Bourland Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND THE FAILURE OF THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR/PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1991 · about 3:33 pm local time
- Place
- Cresson, Texas · Bourland Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N289RL · registry record · serial 23-1548
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH PILOTS WERE MULTIENGINE RATED AND CFI'S. THE SECOND PILOT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN PREPARATION FOR HIS MULTIENGINE INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE. THEY REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF THE LEFT ENGINE WOULD NOT DEVELOPE FULL POWER, AND THAT DURING THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT SUSTAIN FLIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SENSED THE ENGINE HAD LOST POWER BUT HE DID NOT FEATHER THE PROPELLER; HE RELIED ON THE MANIFOLD GAUGE TO INDICATE ENGINE CONDITION. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A 45 DEGREE LEFT BANK, 15 DEGREES NOSE LOW, SHORT OF INTENDED LANDING POINT WITHOUT THE PILOT ATTEMPTING TO FLARE. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE. NO CAUSE FOR THE POWER LOSS TO THE LEFT ENGINE WAS FOUND.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,377 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,311 as pilot in command; 1,831 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 16, 1990; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Bourland Field, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,150 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N289RL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.